Anti-theft and/or theft-deterrent devices for motor vehicles are known, in the prior art, for preventing or thwarting the theft of motor vehicles. These known devices may be of the active or passive variety and are typically available in many forms (i.e. steering wheel locks, hood locks, ignition system cut-off devices, alarms, etc.). In some cases, these devices may be of a very simple design, while in other cases, they may be of a more sophisticated design. However, as is well known, these known anti-theft and/or theft-deterrent devices and systems may be easily defeated by car thieves, and especially, by professional car thieves. Experience has shown that even the most sophisticated of anti-theft and/or theft-deterrent devices may be defeated by an experienced, and determined, vehicle thief.
In recent times, an even more disturbing criminal practice involving the theft of motor vehicles has rendered most of these anti-theft and/or theft-deterrent devices virtually useless. This criminal practice has gained widespread attention and is known as car-jacking. Car-jacking usually occurs when a thief or thieves confront a motorist or motor vehicle operator, when the motor vehicle engine is running, or when the car thief obtains easy access to the motor vehicle ignition keys and to the motor vehicle, either by force or by the threat of force, thereby bypassing, and rendering useless, any of the widely known anti-theft and/or theft-deterrent devices, thereby gaining control and/or possession of the motor vehicle. In these instances, the motorist or motor vehicle operator is well advised to surrender the motor vehicle. However, once surrendered, the motor vehicle is virtually lost to the car thief.
The above-described recent car-jacking practices have also given rise to the introduction and/or to the suggestion of anti-theft and/or theft-deterrent devices which attempt to defeat the ultimate vehicle theft, such as caused by car-jacking, by causing the motor vehicle to become disabled during the "getaway" such as by shutting off the power to the motor vehicle's engine. However, these devices have major disadvantages and drawbacks in that they could shut-off the vehicle's engine power at an inopportune instant in time, thereby causing a dangerous condition to exist, which could lead to an accident which may cause injuries to individuals as well as damage to property. These accidents may arise when the motor vehicle's power is suddenly shut-off when the vehicle is in motion, which condition could cause the vehicle to suddenly, or even gradually, lose power on a roadway or highway, while traveling at a moderate or at a high rate of speed and/or when a power steering and/or a power braking system, which derives its power from the vehicle's engine, suddenly loses power upon the loss of the engine power. As noted above, accidents such as these may result in injuries to people, both inside and outside the vehicle, as well as property damage caused by, and to, the vehicle.
The above described disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art devices may also pose accident liability concerns to those manufacturers and/or sellers of these devices, as well as to the owner or operator of the motor vehicle, as these entities and/or individuals may be held liable for the injuries and the damages sustained as a result of the above described accidents.
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for overcoming the disadvantages and drawbacks which are associated with the known prior art anti-theft and/or theft-deterrent devices.